Career Enhancement Training Study Delivered Across Career Phases
- Conditions
- SuicideSuicide Prevention
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Wingman-ConnectBehavioral: Stress Management
- Registration Number
- NCT05967364
- Lead Sponsor
- University of Rochester
- Brief Summary
This trial tests the effectiveness of the Wingman-Connect Program delivered by USAF personnel on individual suicide risk. Randomization will be among classes at Initial Technical Training, in which 396 classes of USAF personnel will be randomized to Wingman-Connect or to an active control training (N=2,970 Airmen) and followed for one year. These classes send a proportion of graduates to Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) \& Air Mobility Command (AMC) operational bases.
- Detailed Description
Military suicide rates increased 61% from 2008 - 2019 and rates have increased faster in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) compared to other branches. Currently, the predominant military suicide prevention approach is to try to remediate suicide risk after suicidal individuals are identified. No RCT-validated universal programs shown to reduce vulnerability to suicide are in wide use. To fill this gap, the Wingman-Connect Program is a group-based intervention that strengthens protective relationship networks and skills for managing career and personal challenges, to reduce vulnerability to suicide across the broad USAF population. This proposed trial tests the effectiveness of the Wingman-Connect Program on individual suicide risk. We will examine theory-driven mediators and moderators and implementation of the program as delivered by US Air Force (not research) personnel under real world conditions across early career phases. This effectiveness study is the critical next stage in the translational pipeline toward large-scale roll-out to prevent suicide deaths. Classes will be randomized at Initial Technical Training (Sheppard AFB), in which 396 classes of USAF personnel will be randomized to Wingman-Connect or to an active control (N=2,970 Airmen) and followed for one year. Classes will be selected over 36 months to reach the enrollment target of 2,970. We are recruiting technical training classes that train Airmen in specific jobs that support the mission and aircraft of AFGSC \& AMC MajComs. After baseline assessments (prior to randomization of classes), participants in the two conditions will complete an additional 2 assessments: 6 months and 12 months. During the follow up period, a portion of enrolled subjects will receive duty assignments at bases where the AF is implementing Wingman-Connect, providing an opportunity to learn about how varying exposure levels impacts them.
Aim 1: Test effectiveness of Wingman-Connect on reducing self-reported suicide risk. We will evaluate individual level outcomes of suicide risk, depression, and occupational problems up to 1 yr.
Aim 2: Evaluate theory-proposed network health mediators and moderators. Wingman-Connect is expected to increase Airmen's positive social bonds, group cohesion, morale, and healthy coping norms in their social networks; those changes will contribute to reduced suicide risk, depression and occupational problems.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 2970
- Airmen-in-Training (AiT) recruited from technical training classes that train Airmen in jobs that support the mission and aircraft of AFGSC & AMC MajComs.
- Eligible classes must be between 37-91 class days in length
- Airmen from other countries receiving training in US
- Airmen who are not in their first year of enlistment
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Wingman Connect Wingman-Connect Wingman-Connect (Wyman et al., 2020 \& 2022) uses a network health theoretical framework to strengthen two suicide-protective functions of social networks: 1) Strengthening positive social bonds, and 2) Building healthy norms that incentivize adaptive coping. Active Control Stress Management Active control is stress management training of cognitive and behavioral strategies.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method At-risk cut-off of computerized adaptive testing for suicide severity 1 year Participants will complete a computerized adaptive test for suicide severity. Participants will answer questions about their mental health. Participant scores will range from 0-100 with 100 indicating higher likelihood of current suicidal ideation and higher risk for suicide attempt. Scores above the published cut-off score greater than 34.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Mean computerized adaptive testing for depression 1 year Participants will complete a computerized adaptive test for depression. Participants will answer questions about their mental health. Participant scores will range from 0-100 with 100 indicating higher risk for clinical depression.
Mean Behavioral Occupational Performance Outcomes 1 year Participants will complete 5 yes/no questions about job performance, including if superior has expressed concerns about work performance, if Airman has received corrective training for substandard performance, received a negative counseling statement, received a Letter of Reprimand. The sum of affirmative responses will be calculated. Scores will range from 0-5 with 5 indicating greater work impairment.
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
University of Rochester
🇺🇸Rochester, New York, United States